[Feature] Implement Smart Search for People in the Search Bar

[Tigrjas]

I have searched the existing feature requests to make sure this is not a duplicate request.

• Yes

The feature

Implement Smart Search for People in the Search Bar

First, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the amazing work the team behind Immich has put into creating this open-source platform. It has truly helped me break free from the constraints of larger, proprietary services like Google, and I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that goes into maintaining and improving Immich.

Current Experience:
In Immich, users can search for people via the Explore/People tab, but they are first required to click "View All" before they can begin their search. On mobile, the process is even more cumbersome, as there is no search bar—users must manually scroll through the list to find someone.

Proposed Feature:
To enhance the search experience, I propose implementing a search-as-you-type functionality similar to Google Photos. As users begin typing a name, a dropdown menu should dynamically suggest matches from their saved contacts. If no matches are found, the search should fall back to smart search, allowing users to continue searching as they normally would.

Benefits:

• Mobile Experience: This feature would significantly improve usability on mobile devices by eliminating the need for endless scrolling, especially in cases where users have long lists of people.
• Efficiency: Instant search suggestions would allow users to quickly find the person they are looking for without unnecessary navigation, saving both time and frustration.

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[bo0tzz]

#7264